You know the old adage, “all politics is local.” Voters are motivated by issues that affect them directly, like jobs, schools and roads. Former U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill coined this phrase, emphasizing that a politician’s success hinges on his or her ability to address these immediate, local needs for their constituents.
Unfortunately, voter turnout in local elections is historically very low. Often, less than 20% of registered voters actually bother to vote in local elections. But it’s these local elections that affect residents of a community the most. The way a mayor or township board votes has a direct impact on the taxes you pay, the quality of police and fire services you receive, the amount of money spent on your child’s classroom and afterschool programs, and which roads and sewer projects get prioritized.
https://www.wilx.com/2025/10/30/lansing-voters-face-major-decisions-clerks-push-higher-turnout
Don’t show up for a local election and you could end up with a contentious issue dividing your community, like the trash hauling contract in Portage right now, or the battery energy storage system projects being proposed in Comstock and Oshtemo Townships.
This Tuesday, November 4th, there are some very important items on local ballots. The cities of Kalamazoo, Parchment and Portage have the opportunity to vote for mayor, city council and city commissioners. There are also several bond and millage proposals to consider.
So don’t sit this one out. Your vote matters even more when so few people vote. Make it count. Polling locations will be open Tuesday, November 4th from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
And never miss an election in the future, no matter how small. Sign up for the “Permanent Mail Ballot List” click here: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Elections/Election-Forms/Absent-Voter-Ballot-Application-Fillable.pdf?rev=4d217f56f6454564a484fbb715768a17&hash=FB07641F244259C5F9FE0D5AF58520D7
Fill out this form and check the box in section 2 to join the “Permanent Mail Ballot List.” You can then email the form back to the Secretary of State, mail the form to your local clerk’s office or bring the form in person to your clerk’s office.